Scottish Executive

Agriculture and Fisheries Council

Nora Radcliffe (Gordon) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will report on the outcome of the Agriculture and Fisheries Council to be held in Brussels on 29 and 30 September 2003.

Ross Finnie: On agriculture, the main item of business was on genetically modified organisms (GMO). The Commission presented to the Council a recommendation on guidelines for strategies to ensure the co-existence of GM and non-GM crops, which it had published in July. The Presidency had circulated a short list of questions on the subject to explore member states' attitudes about the desirability of GM-free production zones, the tolerances for GM material in seeds and organic products, and the liability of producers for the adventitious presence of GMOs in non-GM crops. No decisions were required but discussion revealed a wide range of views. The UK indicated that it could only give preliminary views because we awaited a report on co-existence from the Agriculture and Environment Biotechnology Commission. Also, the UK would welcome clarification from the Commission on where the concept of GM-free production areas would stand in relation to existing EU law on GM crop production. On tolerances for seeds, decisions should be guided by proportionality and practicality and, as regards organic products, we continued to reflect in consultation with interested parties. As to liability, the UK argued that we would want to consider first whether our existing civil law provisions were adequate for handling any disputes which might arise.

  The Commission introduced a paper covering possible reform of the common market organisation for sugar, cotton, olive oil and tobacco. For sugar, the Commission stressed that it wished to see a number of different broad approaches discussed before it decided on specific proposals which would be published in the new year. There was no debate, but Spain and Greece stressed the importance of certain of these products to their agriculture industries. Denmark signalled that it would be pressing for extensive liberalisation of the sugar regime.

  A request by Spain for approval of a national aid to the nut sector was withdrawn from this agenda.

  Among the measures adopted as "A" items by this Council were the Council Regulations giving effect to the Common Agricultural Policy reforms agreed on 26 June this year. Work will now proceed on detailed implementing measures.

  No fisheries items were discussed.

Emergency Planning

Colin Fox (Lothians) (SSP): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-2202 by Malcolm Chisholm on 24 September 2003, what role the police will play in respect of the operation of the decontamination units; whether such police will be armed, and what instructions they will be given

Cathy Jamieson: The police will co-ordinate the activities of the emergency services at the scene of a decontamination incident, as they would at any other major incident. The police do not possess decontamination equipment, although officers across Scottish police forces have been issued with personal protective equipment to allow them to operate in a contaminated area.

  It is the responsibility of the police to maintain public order at any incident, and armed officers would only be deployed if there a threat existed to justify their deployment. The rules governing the use of firearms are the same as they would be for any incident.

Foster Care

Christine Grahame (South of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how many children are in foster care, broken down by local authority area.

Euan Robson: The number of children looked after in foster care on 31 March 2002 is in the following table.

  

 Local Authority 
  Area
 Children 
  Looked After in Foster Care


 Aberdeen 
  City
 130*


 Aberdeenshire
 115


 Angus
 85


 Argyll and 
  Bute
 30


 Clackmannanshire
 35


 Dumfries 
  and Galloway
 125


 Dundee City
 120


 East Ayrshire
 65


 East Dunbartonshire
 15


 East Lothian
 75


 East Renfrewshire
 10


 Edinburgh 
  - City of
 320


 Eilean Siar
 5


 Falkirk
 85


 Fife
 185


 Glasgow City
 715


 Highland
 105


 Inverclyde
 25


 Midlothian
 45


 Moray
 55*


 North Ayrshire
 55


 North Lanarkshire
 140


 Orkney Islands
 10


 Perth and 
  Kinross
 65


 Renfrewshire
 85


 Scottish 
  Borders
 80


 Shetland 
  Islands
 15


 South Ayrshire
 50


 South Lanarkshire
 75


 Stirling
 55


 West Dunbartonshire
 70


 West Lothian
 120


 Scotland
 3,170



  Note:

  Cells marked with an asterisk are where estimates have been made, figures rounded to the nearest five to preserve confidentiality.

Foster Care

Christine Grahame (South of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what steps it will take to ensure that all children in foster care are guaranteed information relating to a proposed foster placement and that no such placement will be made without a pre-placement visit.

Euan Robson: Volume 2 of the Children (Scotland) Act 1995 Regulations and Guidance sets out the preparation that should be undertaken by local authorities with a child prior to any foster placement. The guidance makes clear that the child’s views must be taken into account when considering a foster care placement and that methods to prepare children for placement should be suited to their age or development.

Foster Care

Christine Grahame (South of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will introduce guidance to ensure (a) that foster placements are not made in locations too remote from family members and (b) access between fostered children and their families and that such access is of sufficient frequency to allow family links to be maintained.

Euan Robson: Volume 2 of the Children (Scotland) Act 1995 Regulations and Guidance already provides guidance on these matters. It makes clear that reasonable proximity to the child’s birth family, or at least convenient public transport services, are desirable in placement where contact with the child’s family is part of the care plan. The foster carers should be able to accommodate contact at the frequency the child needs, make birth family members welcome and help them feel relaxed with their child. Where a foster home is not within easy travelling distance, the social worker may need to organise transport so that contact is not reduced by factors outside the birth family’s control.

Foster Care

Christine Grahame (South of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what steps it will take to encourage local authorities to provide forums in which young people in foster care can meet to discuss their problems and socialise.

Euan Robson: The Fostering Network runs a Young People’s Project which brings young people in foster care together to share their experiences.

Foster Care

Christine Grahame (South of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what steps it will take to improve the public image of children and young people in foster care to reduce any perceived stigma attached to them, encourage inclusiveness and highlight the value to the community of fostering.

Euan Robson: The Fostering Network undertakes an annual Foster Care Fortnight campaign to raise awareness of the role of foster care and its importance to vulnerable children and young people.

Housing

Ms Sandra White (Glasgow) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-2305 by Ms Margaret Curran on 12 September 2003, how the New Housing Partnership grant was spent by Glasgow Housing Association in (a) 2000-01, (b) 2001-02 and (c) 2002-03.

Ms Margaret Curran: The breakdown of how the grant was spent is as follows:

  

 Expenditure
 2000-01
(£ Million)
 2001-02
(£ Million)
 2002-03
(£ Million)
 Total
(£ Million)


 Tenant Communication 
  and Consultation
 1.005
 1.533
 0.337
 2.875


 Business Planning, 
  Funding and IT Advice
 0.799
 2.239
 4.711
 7.749


 Legal Costs
 0
 1.033
 3.912
 4.945


 Staffing Costs
 1.820
 2.865
 6.186
 10.871


 Local Housing 
  Organisation Costs
 0
 0.216
 0.609
 0.825


 Total
 3.624
 7.886
 15.755
 27.265

Housing

Mr Brian Monteith (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive what funds it has made available in respect of the change to the licensing scheme for houses in multiple occupation (HMO).

Ms Margaret Curran: I announced on 19 March that £2 million would be made available between 2003-04 and 2004-05. I am pleased to say that a further £1 milion for 2005-06 has also now been agreed. This funding is intended to help local authorities improve the management of HMO licensing and ensure that all HMOs are licensed and identified. From 1 October 2003 this includes all three-person HMOs - the final phase of the staged introduction of HMO licensing, set out in the Civic Government (Scotland) Act 1987 (Licensing of Houses in Multiple Occupation) Order 2000.

  There should be no additional costs associated with the recent amendment to the legislation, which exempts from licensing co-ownership bodies and resident landlords with no more than two tenants, and creates new offences to ensure that unlicensed owners cannot hide behind an agent.

Prison Service

Michael Matheson (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what the reasons were for not including in-cell showers in the design of the new Iona houseblock at HM Prison Polmont.

Cathy Jamieson: I have asked Tony Cameron, Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service (SPS) to respond. His response is as follows:

  It is not current SPS policy to provide in-cell showers in mainstream young offender accommodation at Polmont because it would increase the capital cost per cell, thereby reducing the pace at which the SPS can provide new accommodation, replace unsatisfactory accommodation and reduce slopping out.

Prison Service

Michael Matheson (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-1869 by Cathy Jamieson on 9 September 2003, why the baseline figures for HM Prison Kilmarnock’s performance have been revised.

Cathy Jamieson: I have asked Tony Cameron, Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service to respond. His response is as follows:

  The proportionate increase to the baseline figures, to reflect the provision of additional prisoner places, was incorrect.

Public Sector Staff

Mr Kenny MacAskill (Lothians) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what discussions it, or VisitScotland, has had with trade union and employee representatives regarding the dispersal of jobs; what support has been obtained from such representatives for dispersal, and to what extent the views of such representatives will be taken into account.

Mr Frank McAveety: Both staff and trade union representatives have been kept fully informed and involved in the location review. The views of all stakeholders form part of the overall appraisal process.

Tourism

Mr Kenny MacAskill (Lothians) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how much relocation of VisitScotland will cost; what criteria will be applied when choosing a new site, and to what extent access to international air links will affect the choice of site.

Mr Frank McAveety: A decision on the location of the VisitScotland headquarters has yet to be reached. All options being considered will be fully costed and this will be one of the factors taken into account in the final decision. Other criteria will include the impact on the operating capabilities of VisitScotland and social and economic issues. Access to international air links forms part of the overall appraisal process.